More options for Martin.
Shane Long and John O’Shea both took part in Ireland’s training session this morning, but manager Martin O’Neill wasn’t giving anything away when it came to their availability for tomorrow’s Euro 2016 play-off, second leg against Bosnia.
The pair missed Friday’s first leg in Zenica, and while Ciaran Clark and Richard Keogh coped admirably in O’Shea’s absence, O’Neill would be delighted to have Long as an option up front given the calf injury picked up by Daryl Murphy, who missed out on the session in Abbotstown.
Jon Walters will also be back from suspension and is almost certain to start, but with Murphy a major doubt and only Robbie Keane in reserve, Long will be given every chance to show he can give the manager a potential half an hour with the tie up for grabs following the 1-1 draw in the Balkans.
“John (O’Shea) has done a significant amount of work and that’s fine; Shane less so but the very fact that the two of them are here now is good news for us,” O’Neill told the media.
“Both are upbeat, that’s for sure but we have to keep in mind that they haven’t played for a couple of weeks. I also have think about what other players are fresh so these are things to consider in the run up to the game.”
